Newman Center Presents
The Newman Center Presents series is a curated offering of world-renowned dance ensembles, musicians, and family programming, often not seen elsewhere in the area. Since its debut in 2002, the series has showcased well-known artists as well as new voices from around the world.
SEP. 30
Ravi Coltrane Quartet: Centennial Celebration
GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, Ravi Coltrane has established himself as a creative force in jazz over the course of his thirty-plus-year career. With six acclaimed albums to his name as a bandleader, Ravi has toured the world with his ensembles and collaborated with some of the top names in jazz.
The second son of John Coltrane and Alice Coltrane, Ravi was named after Indian sitar legend Ravi Shankar. He currently leads the effort to restore the John Coltrane Home and presides over important reissues of his parents’ recordings. This performance is part of Ravi’s centennial celebration of his father, John Coltrane.
OCT. 17
Paul Taylor Dance Company
The Paul Taylor Dance Company is one of the world’s leading dance organizations. Founded in 1954 by cultural icon Paul Taylor (1930-2018), and now under the artistic direction of Michael Novak, the Company continues to innovate and transform the landscape of 21st-century dance performance and education with its vast international reach. This long-awaited return to the Newman Center features a mixed repertoire bill of Taylor’s beloved works Brandenburgs and Piazzolla Caldera, as well as resident choreographer Robert Battle’s exciting new work Under the Rhythm.
NOV. 11
John Scofield's "Electrospective" featuring Oteil Burbridge, Larry Goldings & Adam Deitch
Throughout his 54-year career, three-time GRAMMY Award-winner John Scofield has detoured several times from the traditions of straight-ahead jazz, exploring a blend of funk and jazz that has led to some of his most popular projects. In late autumn of 2026, Scofield will perform Electrospective, a fresh look at his now-classic fusion groove compositions after several decades. Scofield will team up with a stellar band of colleagues, including Scofield alum and super funk drummer/producer Adam Deitch (Lettuce), the multidimensional Larry Goldings (Scary Goldings, James Taylor) on keyboards, and legendary bassist Oteil Burbridge (Dead & CO., Tedeschi Trucks, Allman Brothers).
NOV. 19
Lindsay Lou Presents: Bluegrass Women
Lindsay Lou is commonly dubbed the Queen of every festival she plays, the person you’re most likely to see sitting in with other bands and curating all-star sets in addition to playing her own music. Her roots are in Michigan, where she started making records before touring worldwide with The Flatbellys and The Sweet Water Warblers. Since making Nashville her home, she has toured with her folk/rock band Queen of Time and the acoustic/harmony driven Honey Moon Trio. In whatever ensemble she chooses to deliver her sound, you’ll hear the common thread of her love for traditional bluegrass music and authentic new songs inspired by it.
DEC. 17
Christmas Dreaming with Stella Cole
Stella Cole is hitting the road this December to celebrate the holiday season! Following the release of her holiday collection Snow! and her more recent version of the Carpenters’ classic “Merry Christmas, Darling,” Stella has established herself the next generation’s voice of the holidays, interpreting both familiar themes like “White Christmas” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and discoveries like “Christmas Dreaming” and “That's What I Want for Christmas.”
This “powerhouse rivaling Judy Garland and Rosemary Clooney” (People) has cultivated nearly 2 million social media followers through her fresh interpretations of works made famous by iconic artists, exposing new generations to timeless classics.
JAN. 30
Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon Giddens has made a singular, iconic career out of stretching her brand of folk music into just about every field imaginable. A two-time GRAMMY Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning singer and instrumentalist, MacArthur “Genius” grant recipient, and composer, Giddens has centered her work around lifting up people whose contributions to American musical history have previously been overlooked or erased.
As Pitchfork once said, “few artists are so fearless and so ravenous in their exploration”—a journey that has led to NPR naming her one of its 25 Most Influential Women Musicians of the 21st Century and to American Songwriter calling her “one of the most important musical minds currently walking the planet.”
FEB. 7
123 Andrés
Christina and Andrés are 123 Andrés, the GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY-winning duo for kids and families known for their interactive, high-energy shows. They bring fresh original songs that blend Spanish and English, with an eclectic mix of sounds from all corners of Latin America. 123 Andrés pack their shows with positive vibes and energetic songs that get the whole family dancing and learning.
FEB. 12-13
Kodo One Earth Tour 2027: Luminance
Kodo has been touring the globe under the banner “One Earth” for over four decades, giving over 7500 performances in 50 countries and regions around the world to date. Their mission remains the same: to connect myriad cultures and ways of life by reminding people of our common bonds as human beings.
Luminance blends signature Kodo pieces with new works by current Kodo members, born from encounters and inspiration from their world tours, as well as original compositions by guest artists.
FEB. 17
Matthew Whitaker
Matthew Whitaker’s mastery of funk and jazz on both the piano and Hammond B-3 organ has captivated audiences globally through appearances on notable T.V. shows like Showtime at the Apollo, the Today Show, Ellen, and a feature on 60 Minutes. His 2024 album, On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute, nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album, pays homage to the pioneers of the Hammond B-3 organ who paved the way for his artistry. Most recently, his co-arrangement of “Super Mario Praise Break” for the 8-Bit Big Band won the 2026 GRAMMY for best instrumental arrangement.
FEB. 27-28
Compagnie Hervé Koubi: Sol Invictus
Hervé Koubi’s thrilling and powerful company is comprised of dancers from France, North Africa, and beyond. Combining contemporary and hip hop dance movements, capoeira, and martial arts with powerful imagery and inspired choreography, the dancers defy gravity. Named after the “invincible sun” deity, Koubi's newest work Sol Invictus upholds love as the guarantor of peace—that despite fracture, communion emerges as humanity’s saving grace. The music includes a composition by Swedish composer Mikael Karlsson, with excerpts by Steve Reich and digital composer Maxime Bodson. “I want to talk about light, solidarity, and those bonds that unite us,” says Koubi. “Here, the sun and the dance will emerge victorious.”
MAR. 5-6
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO), comprising of 15 of the finest jazz soloists and ensemble players today, performs and leads educational events in New York, across the U.S. and around the globe. Under Music Director Wynton Marsalis, the JLCO performs a vast repertoire, from rare historic compositions to Jazz at Lincoln Center-commissioned works, including music by Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams, current and former JLCO members, and more.
This performance is part of Wynton Marsalis’ final season as Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and Music Director of the JLCO.
MAR. 11-12
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández
Founded in 1952 by dancer and choreographer Amalia Hernández, Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández brings together the music, dance, and costume of Mexican folklore from pre-Colombian civilizations to the modern era. The Ballet boasts a full complement of 60 dancers and musicians and is permanently in residence at the iconic Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. This beloved company has toured extensively across Mexico and abroad, reaching over 45 million spectators worldwide positioning itself as the premier Mexican folkloric dance ensemble.
APR. 4
Lightwire Theater: The Adventures of Tortoise and Hare
Semi-finalists on America’s Got Talent Season 7, Lightwire Theater shows off the art of EL wire puppetry in their spin on Aesop’s classic fable of The Tortoise and The Hare. For those who wondered what happened after the Race, Lightwire Theater continues the story which finds the two opponents 10 years down the road, now with children of their own and exploring modern day distractions. Old Man Tortoise and Big Daddy Hare must come together despite their differences to find and save their children. With dazzling visuals, poignant storytelling, and creative use of music from classical to pop, this production brings this classic tale into a brilliant new light.
APR. 30
An Evening with Kelli O'Hara
Kelli O'Hara, star of stage and screen, has established herself as one of Broadway's greatest leading ladies. O’Hara has been nominated for eight Tony Awards, winning for The King and I. She is also an Emmy, SAG, Olivier, and GRAMMY-nominated artist who made history as the first singer to crossover from Broadway to opera with her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2015. Most recently, she starred opposite Tom Hanks in the world premiere of the Off-Broadway play This World of Tomorrow and can be seen in the new CBS series Sheriff Country and Ryan Murphy’s new FX series The Beauty. This spring, O’Hara will perform a program of American Songbook classics and modern Broadway favorites.
MAY. 9
Gravity & Other Myths: Ten Thousand Hours
Everybody is a master of something. Blink, step, jump, balance, flip, fly.
This is an ode to the countless hours needed to achieve great things. An acknowledgement of the backstory that is often more spectacular than the finished product.
Eight world-class acrobats investigate physical skill: how we obtain it, how we perfect it, and how it can transform our lives. Through highlighting the nuance of high-level acrobatics, audiences experience a heightened appreciation of the countless hours required to master the skills they are witnessing. This is a love letter to our bodies and the amazing things they let us do every day.
January 1
February 1
Sorry, there are no scheduled events this month or for the provided criteria above.